Decorating for Life … The Happy Way

Its been a while now since I last showed you pictures of my little cottage, so I thought I would show you these…of my dining room…you see, it is forever changing..as you know by now, I am a collectorholic of everything cute and kitsch and when I am out and about I kinda forget the size of my little place and just buy what I like…

…Hence, I have to keep changing it about because of my new thrifting purchases each week…I am very quickly growing out of space and you will often see a happy delight on my website…where I have to sell something to make room for something else…!

When you are out and about, do not be frightened of buying something that you love, you know something from your past! be brave and buy what you like and do not buy something because it is fashionable…buy what you like and what you remember from your past to create your own individual look…this way you will create your own style for your home and you will feel cosy and comfortable in it always.

I love quirky, cute and unusual bits and pieces…I also love to buy, what I remember that my Nanny Hilda used to like…cheeky postcards, big eye ornaments, cake plates and shabby dolls and teddies, were amoungst her favourites and also now mine.

My Mum and Dad, were very trendy in the 50’s and 60’s and I love to collect the pictures that they used to have on the wall in their retro apartment…I can’t stand uneven placed pictures or bare walls.

My Dad was a Roman Catholic…and he used to have a Virgin Mary Figure by his bedside…I now have this same figure in my sitting room…and also love to collect religious pictures and ornaments.

So here is a picture of my dining room…it is very small and when we came to view the house, I really didn’t think we would get this much stuff in it! lol! we really have filled it to the brim…but everything I look at, I totally love…The Heidi books, below, I remember reading as a child…

The little Dutch gal, above, reminds me of my cheeky Nanna’s plump cheery face… and the postcards are of roses…I sooo love roses…(my Grandad used to grow them in his garden)

I also have to have retro kitchen units in my cottage, as my Nan and my Mum used to own these in the sixties…I often remember rolling pastry on the pull out table made from enamel…a lovely cold surface was the perfect place for making all kinds of pies and pastries!

I love my Dining Room and it also doubles up as my craft room…my hubby crafts in our Vintage Green Caravan, outside in the garden…that is his domain…and I craft in here…Oh and I make such a mess! I am one of those crafters that has to get everything out at once! lol!

The bright and happy atmosphere that I have created, with all my lovely memories around me, really do help to get my creative juices flowing…and sometimes to my peril…I have so many ideas, I create more mess and sometimes don’t really get anything achieved lol!I do still love my Cath Kidston pieces…but I prefer the old style CK and haven’t really bought anything for a long long time…I do look at her website, but it all seems to of got a little too commercialised for me and probably, if I am honest! too popular!

I have always loved bright and cheery things and nothing beats the hunt for something secondhand and vintage…finding something old which tells a story of a bygone era or a fleeting memory is priceless!

So…go out there my lovely peeps and decorate your dining rooms and your whole house with memories of your life and you won’t go far wrong with the perfect look for you 🙂

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23 Comments

Anonymous

July 11, 2012 / 10:09 pm

Happy, coming to your house always makes me so happy! I love your colors, your things, your pictures, everything! I wish I could go thrifting with you, I think in England you may have cooler old stuff than we have here in the USA! Hugs ~ Mary

I'm really HAPPY that I found your blog! Everything is so bright and cheerful and I feel a sort of kinship to you because of your British heritage. I'm Canadian and my grandparent's are from the UK. I love everything British! xo

This post should have been titled "A dose of Happy Medicine" these photos are a total CURE ALL!! So so so so FUN!!! and HAPPPPY!I WANT TO visit terribly!! We will art journal the day and night away at that table! :)LOVE you guys!!xo Jenny

YOUR THINGS ARE JUST SWEET AND FULL OF COLOR AND LIFE…I LIKE THAT…YOU HAVE MANY GOOD MEMORIES IT SEEMS AND THATS GREAT TOO…i LOVE YOUR TEA POT IT IS VERY SWEET AND YOUR ENAMELWARE ONE TOO…rOSES ARE MY FAVORITE THINGS I HAVE A FEW CARDS THAT I PICKED UP…REALLY ENJOYED VISITING AND SEEING YOUR PHOTOS..THANK YOU FOR SHARING THEM…HAPPY SUNDAY WITH LOVE JANICE

I so agree! My house is full of things that I find beautiful or useful, according to Mr Morris's maxim. You are lucky your husband lets you have all the florals around the house; mine are consigned to 'my' room ( the spare bedroom!)

I totally agree with buying what you like. It's funny there are so many things in my home that I have bought with other people and they have said "what on earth are you getting that for" or something along those lines and they are the very things that people always comment on when they come to my cottage. I'm also with you with regard to CK, it's just everywhere!! Whilst I still love dots and flowers I just feel CK is now overdone. I used to love it when people said my stuff is so CK but now I'm almost annoyed.

I love your courage to choose things you like! It's the only way it works, I agree! Having a same problem with the space, but I guess that's up to personality: I don't believe neither of us would be able to live in a minimalistic space!

I love all the "happy" colors in your home! 😉 They make me smile! I too love color. Even though I enjoy looking at those homes that are all white and dreamy looking, I know I could never live without color! And I also buy things that I love and then sell something from my home in my annual vintage occasional sale. My tastes keep changing, anyway, so it works!Stay Happy! sandy 😉

I agree that sticking to what you love vs. what is trendy in the end is about what makes YOU feel good in your own home! I love the retro kitchen units too. I have yet to purchase one. I was devastated when I found out the one belonging to my great grandmother had been sold after she passed. I'll find the right one some day 😉 Thanks for sharing your home again!

I love all your new pictures so much! I TOO DEARLY LOVE COLLECTING EVERYTHING BRIGHT AND CHEERFUL FROM MY CHILDHOOD DAYS! Come look at my blog it is bright, colorful and happy! mcreatesdaily.blogspot.com

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About Me

Hello There! My nick name is Happy and I have been writing this blog since 2007! I hope you can stay a while and catch up with my archives,,,I used to love Vintage Kitsch collectables, but now love to decorate in a more modern way...drop me a line if you want to get in touch.